One of our family traditions growing up was going to Soup Plantation. My brothers would eat so much pizza that they had to lay down in the booths, while my oldest sister would always have a huge colorful salad. My sister Mesk and I, on the other hand, couldn’t wait to get our hands (or spoons) on the Potato Leek Soup (with a dash of Tabasco sauce). When I began to cut down on dairy, I thought that I would have to give up creamy soups. But, oh was i wrong! There are so many creative ways to create a creamy consistency using plant based products—almond or soy milk, cashew cream etc. You’ll find one of my favorite recipes for potato leek soup below. Enjoy…
POTATO LEEK SOUP INGREDIENTS
1/2-1 cup cashew cream (depending on how creamy you want it)
1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
2 leeks, white and light green parts washed and sliced into 1/4-inch slices
2 cups chopped yellow onion
1/2 teaspoon sea salt
3 cloves garlic, minced
2 large Yukon Gold potatoes (about 1 pound), peeled and cubed into 1/2-inch cubes
4 cups vegetable stock
2-3 teaspoons fresh rosemary leaves
Cashew Cream Recipe
1 cup whole raw cashews (rinsed very well under cold water)
- Put the cashews in a bowl and add cold water to cover them.
- Cover the bowl and refrigerate overnight.
- Drain the cashews and rinse under cold water.
- Place in a blender with enough fresh cold water to cover them by 1 inch.
- Blend on high for several minutes until very smooth.
Instructions
1. Heat a 4-quart soup pot over medium heat and add the oil.
2. Add the leeks, onion, and sea salt and saute for about 5 minutes, stirring often, until the onion begins to turn translucent.
3. Add the garlic and stir well. Cook for 1 minute more.
4. Add the potatoes and vegetable stock, cover, and bring to a boil. Reduce heat to simmer. Cook 20 minutes.
5. Add the Cashew Cream and simmer for an additional 5-10 minutes.
6. Remove the soup from the heat and use a blender to blend the soup in small batches with the fresh rosemary. Very important-do NOT fill the blender more than 1/3 of the way! Believe me, ending up with delicious hot soup all over your counter and forehead is not fun 
7. Pour smooth soup into a heat-proof bowl and continue until all of the soup has been blended. I like my soup chunky so I only blend about 3/4 of it.
6. Transfer the blended soup back to the original soup pot and warm over low heat until heated through.
Serves 4 – 6.
Serve hot with garlic bread and enjoy…
